Carbon dioxide is a generally inert gas that is produced in abundance by combustion processes. Whether it is slash and burn deforesting that occurs in developing countries or it is the numerous combustion processes of industrialized nations, carbon dioxide is constantly being produced. Carbon dioxide is also often found in natural gas. As a natural gas component, carbon dioxide is a contaminant that lowers the burn efficiency of the natural gas. Natural gases that are being extracted from the North Slopes of Alaska may contain up to 20% carbon dioxide or more. At any amount, carbon dioxide acts as a contaminant for specific volume energy output. Additionally, in petroleum refining operations, natural gas is often flared and carbon dioxide is present in abundance in the combustion products.
If carbon dioxide could be used more efficiently, it could be converted to valuable feed stocks such as carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is also considered one of the primary culprits in global warming theory. As such, if carbon monoxide emissions were reduced in all processes where it is a product, the global warming rate would be affected.
Carbon monoxide is a valuable intermediate for many industries. The prior technology for production of carbon monoxide involved steam and/or catalytic reforming of natural gas to form the products of carbon monoxide and diatomic hydrogen.
It would be an improvement in the art to utilize the abundant carbon dioxide, that is produced by the large number of operations around the globe, to generate the valuable intermediate of carbon monoxide.